Journal of Student Research 2014

Expanding Rugby in the United States

need to increase participation” (p.1.). Currently in the US there is an emphasis being put on attracting cross over athletes – those people with incredible athletic ability, but no idea of how to play rugby – of course if those same people had grown up playing they would be far better. We also know from soccer that international success breeds participation. Effective planning and use of resources at all levels of the game is going to be the only way to jump start this system. Conclusion and Results Rugby is at a critical point in the US – it could become huge, or it could dwindle; rugby organizing bodies (local and national) need to do the research now, create an effective plan, and follow through with it. The pieces are all there already. An emphasis needs to be placed on national teams, on domestic history, on youth, on women, and on building up for the 2016 Olympics. If rugby is going to be sold effectively in the US it is going to do so by convincing people that it is not a foreign invader, but by giving them ownership of its history. It needs to be promoted as an extreme and entertaining spectator sport that is also as safe, if not safer that, other sports that people already accept the risk of playing. Rugby’s best players need to be built into stars. It may be hard to build international super stars when players pick it up late, but there are some amazingly talented athletes in the U.S. who are worthy of kids hanging their posters in their bed rooms. At the same time rugby’s youth programs need to be grown. Whatever changes take place in the US, the spirit of the game needs to be maintained and its appealing characteristics need to be effectively sold to the public. One of the characteristics that should be emphasized is the fact the women and men play exactly the same game with no variation. It is the only contact team sport available to girls in High School, and the only NCAA approved contact team sport for women in college. The women’s game has the numbers, and the talent, now they need the support. This all comes down to money and planning. Effective use of resources could lead to more participants, exposure and eventually more money.

Timeline of Key Events

* denotes international events 1860 to 1870 - Widely varied rules but soccer/football/rugby

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